Cover for electric switch keys



l-Jul 22, 1924. 1,502,582 I C. E. NEIDIG COVER FOR ELECTRIC swm'cn KEYSFiled Oct. 21 1922 JNVEHTOR A TTORIIEKS' WI T/VESSES Patented July 22,1924 am) STA E crinnns nnrore, or carer rirLL, rnnnsrnvama.

COVER, FOREL'ECTBIC SWITCH: KEYS.

Application filed October 21, 1922. Serial No. 596,019.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE E. Nnrnre, a citizen of the United States,residing at Camp Hill, in the county of Cumberland, State ofPennsylvania, have invented cerlain new and useful In'iprovements inCovers for Electric Switch Keys, of which the following a specification.

My invention is a cover for electric switch keys and itconsists in thecon'ibinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein desc ibedand claimed. 1

An object of my invention is to provide a cover which is adapted to fitupon the usual black switch key {which extends laterally of an electricsocket or like electric fitting, whereby the key will be protected andat the same time will beliidden from view, thus permitting the provisionof a switch key matching in appearance and finish the appliance of whichit is a part.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a cover of thecharacter described which can b readily applied and which embodies meansfor rendering it luminous when applied to a fitting located in a darkplace.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a view showing an electric parlor lamp equipped with theinvention, a portion of the lamp shade being broken away,

Figure 2 is a relatively enlarged perspective view of the coverdetached,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the cover, in appliedposition on a switch key. the latter being shown in dotted lines, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing a lighting fixture wall bracketequipped with the invention.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a hollow body 1 which issubstantially of cap-shape. being open at its one end and closed at itsopposite end, as indicated at 2. In the present embodiment of theinvention, the bot y 1 is substantially oblong in cross sectionalcontour to conform to and closely fit upon the handle portion 3 of aswitch key 4 which is of conventional construction. Obviously, the bodylmay have any desired and suitable configuration to fit upon switch keyhandles or like switch controlling members of arious shapes withoutdeparting'froin the spirit and scope of the invention, as will beunderstood from "be following. i The body, 1 is made of any suitablematerial, such as a light gage metal andmay have tl'1 f(lC-I-Sll2lblfinish to harmonize with the finish of a socket 5, socket cover, or likefitting, which may form a part of "an electric appliance or fixture,such as the parlor lamp, indicated at 6 in Figure l, or thewall bracketindicated at 1 5 in Figure 4i The latter application I of the inventionwill probably be of more I frequent occurrence than the former; I i

I A pair of extensions 7+7 integral with confrontingor opposed portionsof the side walls of thebody '1 extend beyond the open end of the bodyandare fashioned to be semi-circular or a-rcuate in cross sectionalcontour in order to each partially embrace the shank 8 ofthe switch key4 and to complement each other in holding the body l in applied'position on the switch key.

Kerfs 99 extend L longitudinally of the body in the said confrontingportionsof the side walls thereof from the juncture of each extension 7with the body and'substantially in alinementwith the opposite side edgesof the extension at its juncture with the body, whereby the extensionsmay be sprung apart to permit the passage of the switch key handletherebetween when the latter is inserted in the body 1. The kerfs 99diverge slightly toward the closed end of the body so that the shank ofeach extension 7, which includes the strip located between the kerfs 9of each pair, has greater flexibility at its free end than at the endthereof which is merged into the walls of the body.

The body l or in any event the portions thereof constituting the shankof the extensions 7 are formed of a material having sufficient inherentspring qualities to cause the extensions 7 to clampingly engage the stemor shank 4: of the switch key when the latter has been inserted in thebody 1.

It is desirable that the switch key cover should be luminous whenlocated in a dark place. the body is formed with a socket or seat 10therein adapted to partially receive a holder 11 for a luminoussubstance. In the form of the device now preferred by me the socket orseat 10 is substantially semi-circular in To this end, the end portion 2of cross sectional contour and the holder 11, which ismade of glass orother transparent or translucent material, is cylindrical in form and ispartially received within the seat or socket, being retained therein byfingers 1212 which are of tapered formation and respectively extend fromopposite sides of the seat or socket adjacent to opposite ends of thelatter, being adapted to be bent into embracing relation to the protruding peripheral portion of the holder and tothus clamp the latter inplace.

As stated, the holder 11 is cylindrical in form and is provided with anaxial bore or recess in which a luminous substance maybe disposed, as.indicated at 13. Any suitable luminous substance, such as the variousradiumized substances well known in the art may be placed within the:bore of the holder 11.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood. As is well known, electricsockets and other electric fittings comprising a switch are ordinarilyprovided with a switch key or control ling member having a handle, blackin color, and formed of an insulating material, such as a hard rubbercomposition.- This material is'brittle and switch key handles formedthereof are frequently broken. Moreover, such switch key handles areunsightly in appearance and impair the general appearance of an electricappliance or fixture equipped therewith. A cover embodying the inventionmay have a finish matching the finish of the electric fitting and may bemade of a material lending. itself ready to embellishment so as toenhance instead of impair the appearance of the electric fitting and ofthe appliance or fixture as a whole. The cover is'formed in a. singlepiece and may be readily applied or removed from a switch key handlewhich is hidden from view and protected when the cover is in placethereon.

Obviously my invention is susceptible, of embodiment in forms other thanthat which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and I,therefore, consider as my own all modifications and adaptations thereofwhich fzliirly fall within the scope of the appended c aim.

r I claim:

parent, material, said holder being adapted i to hold a luminoussubstance in the bore thereof, and fingers integral with the body andadapted to be bent at will to embrace the holder to hold the latteragainst displacement from the seat or to release the holder.

CLAUDE E. NEIDIG.

